Love is a Battlefield
Episode 4 of Firefly Lane returns briefly to 2005, teasing that a major character could be killed off in the upcoming episodes. Who could it be? Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait to find out.
1970’s
Tully and Kate bunk school to do drugs. While they’re both high, Tully decides to break the news to her about her Mother… but then Kate has a panic attack before she can finish what she’s saying. Thankfully, Tully manages to calm Kate down as they head back home again. Only, there Cloud breaks the truth to Kate that she doesn’t have cancer.
1980’s
In the early 80’s, Kate continues to work hard at college while Tully is too busy partying. When Tully receives a C for her assignment, she’s not happy and remains determined to confront her Professor. She asks to redo her assignment, which he eventually agrees to if she can get it done over the weekend. Only, in doing so this would mean missing the opportunity to spend time with Kate. While Kate greets her parents, Robbie heads upstairs with Sean. Together they begin listening to music together, just as Sean leans forward to kiss him. Only, Robbie pulls away and admits that he’s married to Hannah now. She’s pregnant and he’s decided to do right by their child. Sean does his best to deal with this, forcing a smile and telling Robbie he’s happy for him. Meanwhile, Tully receives some crucial and important advice from her professor, as he shows her how to loosen up on-camera. As he outright admits that he has feelings for her, Chad tries to stay professional…which lasts for literally 2 seconds before the two begin kissing. Tully eventually shows up at Kate’s house where Sean discusses how his Father has been trying to get him to enlist. As we already know, he’ll eventually enlist to the Navy. Well, Kate and Tully eventually wind up arguing again outside, as Kate mentions how she feels like she’s being pulled along for a ride by her friend. Kate decides to start fiction writing and is determined to change directions in life. Tully is not happy with this reveal though and walks away.
2003
In the present, Kate sits in bed with Tully who awakens after passing out during the cliffhanger last time out. Kate tells her friend to get checked out by a doctor to make sure she’s okay. Well, before that Tully hands over a box with sexy lingerie inside. Kate scoffs at the notion as she heads home to prepare for Marah’s piano recital. It turns out her “near-affair” Travis is due to show too. Heading home to get changed, Kate dons the sexy lingerie but doesn’t realize Johnny is under the sink. Eventually the two begin kissing and getting hot and heavy…until Marah heads home and interrupts. They do their best to play it off as nothing but Marah knows something happened. Just before the recital is due to start, Travis speaks to Kate in the kitchen about their feelings as Johnny shows too. It’s pretty awkward and tense, especially when Travis points out where the cheeseboard is. Tully also shows up too, as she greets Margie in the kitchen. Kate is having hot flashes, prompting Margie to believe she’s going through menopause. Still, there’s no time for that as there’s a showcase of students performing. First up is Marah but it’s all too emotional for Kate who heads outside to cool off, missing her daughter’s performance. It turns out the song Marah was playing is “her song” with Travis. Marah is understandably upset, as Johnny heads out to confront Kate and Travis over what happened. Punches are exchanged, as Kate and Johnny finally talk in the aftermath of this tension. As the episode closes out, we cut back to Tully who learns that she’s actually pregnant.
The Episode Review
The jumbled timelines return again as Kate learns Tully’s illness is actually pregnancy while Johnny leaves Kate in the present – again. This time around though the 1970’s timeline gets very little attention and that is easily the most intriguing and interesting timeline of the three. The biggest problem with this show though is just how indifferent these fights and issues the girls have actually are. We know their bickering and fall-outs are temporary and meaningless as we’ve seen them in the future timelines. That means the only timeline that actually has any drama is the present… and we’ve already received glimpses of what’s happening in the near-future too. Kate’s brother Sean, for example, is worried that he’ll be left behind and doesn’t know whether to enlist or not. And yet in the previous episodes we’ve seen him happy and in the navy, negating any sort of drama or emotional connection we, as the audience, would have at this moment. It’s these little segments that unfortunately hold the show back from being a better soapy drama. Having said that, there is enough here to stick it out for the time being but whether the show can grow and evolve into a compelling guilty pleasure soap remains to be seen.
